The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for simply and rapidly producing filled pastries or other dough products. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for producing dough envelopes containing filling.
Filled pastries or other dough products such as hor d'oeuvres, ravioli, creplich, won ton, and empanada are well-known and enjoyed by many individuals. These types of products are all commonly characterized by their use of a dough envelope containing a desired filling. For small scale production of these dough envelopes which contain filling, the usual technique involved cutting out individual pieces of dough, placing a desired filling on top of a bottom layer of dough, placing a top layer of dough over the filling and then pinching the edges of the two dough layers together to form a dough envelope containing the filling. This old-fashioned method for producing dough envelopes containing filling is quite time-consuming, tedious and is not adaptable to production of substantial numbers of the dough covered delicacies.
Therefore, in order to accommodate individuals desiring to make more than just a few raviolis etc., there have been prior art attempts to provide a suitable apparatus and method which will produce reasonably large quantities of such products. One such prior art attempt is the method and apparatus for making ravioli disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,993 issued to Valdastri on Oct. 16, 1945. The apparatus as disclosed in Valdastri U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,993 issued to Valdastri on Oct. 16, 1945. The apparatus as disclosed in Valdastri includes a frame structure having a number of interconnected molds. To make ravioli, a first layer of dough is placed over the frame structure. Then individual portions of filling are placed on top of the dough above each mold. A second dough layer is placed over the first dough layer and filling portions. At this point, a rolling pin is utilized to apply pressure to the dough layers and filling. As the rolling pin is rolled over the frame, the dough layers and filling are forced into the molds. Each of the molds has a central opening with vertical side walls for receiving the dough envelopes as pressure is applied from above. A rectangularly shaped slanted face is provided at the top of each mold opening. The slanted faces are provided with grooves or teeth which are included, purportedly to enhance the sealing or pasting of the dough layers together. The top edges of the slanted surfaces form cutting edges which cut the dough layers into the desired individual envelopes as pressure is applied to the dough layers.
Although the Valdastri patent purports to disclose an apparatus and method for mass producing dough envelopes containing filling, the actual structure of the molds causes inherent problems in envelope formation. Specifically, first the walls of the mold openings are vertical; and secondly, the surfaces which are intended to secure or paste the two layers of dough together are slanted at substantial angle to the horizontal. As a result, there is no support for the dough envelopes as they are pressed into the opening and filled. Consequently, the lower dough layer may be uncontrollably deformed due to variations in filling amounts and consistencies. Without supporting the dough envelopes, production of unsightly and non-uniform dough products is likely. In addition, as the dough products drop through the mould of Valdastri, the edges of the dough products are bent up and the combination of the slanted pasting surfaces and the subsequent deformation of the edges of the products means that the pastries, ravioli or other products will be irregularly pasted together around the edges, with the filling often exposed, and neat, regular, dough-covered products will not be produced.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for mass producing dough envelopes having structurally uniform characteristics to prevent weakening of the dough envelope adjacent and at the envelope seals and further where the shape of the dough envelopes is controlled to produce a uniformly shaped pastry not having unsightly bumps, wrinkles or stretch marks.